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Inverse: 'Pokemon GO' Is Creating Real-Life Friendships Among Strangers

Chaos17

Member
Source: https://www.inverse.com/article/18049-pokemon-go-is-creating-real-life-friendships

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Around the world, people (who own Android and iOS devices) have heard the call to become Pokémon Trainers thanks to Nintendo and Niantic’s Pokemon GO. The augmented reality app brings the game of finding and catching Pokemon out into the real world with digital Pokemon roaming around parks, bus stops, and landmarks throughout the world — and complete strangers are meeting up while in their effort to catch ‘em all.

While the app launched only this week, Reddit users on the dedicated subreddit r/PokemonGO have been posting pictures of impromptu meet-ups — some with as many as over 30 people — all of whom are Pokémon GO players searching for hot commodity Pokémon in the area.

Reddit user Haloi posted this photo of Melbourne Central in Australia at 11 p.m. on Friday night, where more than a few dozen people were gathered due to four active adjacent lures. In Pokémon Go, lures are dropped by players at designated areas that attract wild Pokemon. Australia was one of the first countries where Pokémon GO was made available this week.

friday-night-at-melbourne-central-in-australia-with-over-a-dozen-people-seen-playing-pokemon-go.jpeg

Friday night at Melbourne Central in Australia, with over a dozen people seen playing 'Pokemon GO.' Taken by user Haloi.

Below, in an undisclosed local park, a Reddit user by the name Taeg met about 30 people, all of whom gathered due to a lure dropped in the area.

8ux9vayjpg.jpeg


Another user, Bableg, also posted a photo of the same phenomenon, writing that the app has brought together people “who would’ve never met otherwise.”

In the comments, users told of similar stories; “We saw the same happen earlier,” writes another Redditor, PVSJeff. “Some guys threw one down, and a dozen of us came over. They were yelling ‘Pokemon?’ At everybody who walked by. Was great.”

91cf29ec837f4672958cdc6fab6dd031jpeg.jpeg


Again, in Australia, Reddit user tayben posted the photo below with the title saying “Sydney is hooked.”

“About 1/3rd of the people I walked past were playing,” tayben writes. “This spot had a lure.”

kh9kcfwfl08xjpg.jpeg


In the comments below, another Redditor recalls: “I was eating breakfast peacefully in an A&W this morning checking to see if there were and Pokémon around and some random dude came up to me to start talking about the game. He and his girlfriend just sat down at my table and that’s how I made 2 new friends. I saw like 3 people just today catching Pokémon in the street and it’s barely 12:30.”

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Friendly reminder:
- Don't go out catch pokemon alone after 9 pm (like at 2am)
- Don't play while driving
- Use your common sense
- Don't be a jerk

Play safe

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lionpants

Member
I've already had some cool moments here in Canada and its not even officially out yet. This is going to be crazy when international launch happens.
 

alf717

Member
A young boy walked up to us and asked us if we played Pokemon Go. I saw a few more kids walking all over the place with their phones. I just hope all of them are safe and be sure to watch out for them as well since they will most likely have their eyes glued to the phone.
 

Vena

Member
Ya I made a friend today, was nice. Met a bunch of random people from uni I would not have otherwise too.

Any day with a new friend is a good day!
 

Neiteio

Member
I saw a couple walking down the street today. The guy was grinning like a goof at his phone while he moved it around. His girlfriend stopped to look at his phone and laugh. Probably playing this game, and since she was dressed for a jog and he wasn't, I guess this was the only way to get him to go outside with her, lol. But hey, that's great. :)
 

Toxi

Banned
I saw a couple walking down the street today. The guy was grinning like a goof at his phone while he moved it around. His girlfriend stopped to look at his phone and laugh. Probably playing this game, and since she was dressed for a jog and he wasn't, I guess this was the only way to get him to go outside with her, lol. But hey, that's great. :)
It's awesome that this game is actually encouraging kids to go outside. Hopefully it keeps its appeal.
 
Yup, I've seen some people doing the same at my local park and I got to talk to a few people. They're the reason I couldn't find a Rhyhorn while I was there.
 
There were break dancers on the corner of the street today. They put down lures and started dancing to Pokemon songs to draw the crowd. Highlight of the day.
 

Neiteio

Member
Question: So does everyone see the same Pokemon in the same area? Like if it tells me there's an Oddish at the corner, is it telling other people the same thing? And is there like a limited number of that Pokemon at that location before it's gone for awhile?
 

Soma

Member
There's a pretty big Pokemon Go Crawl happening in San Francisco on the 20th. It's on my birthday so I'm really stoked for that.
 
Question: So does everyone see the same Pokemon in the same area? Like if it tells me there's an Oddish at the corner, is it telling other people the same thing? And is there like a limited number of that Pokemon at that location before it's gone for awhile?
Yes to your first question.

As far as I can tell it's a no to your second. I went out with people yesterday and almost everytime we always ran into the same Pokemon.
 

wmlk

Member
I've already had some cool moments here in Canada and its not even officially out yet. This is going to be crazy when international launch happens.

Man, I've been waiting until it officially releases here. I want to be there when the big wave comes.
 

WedgeX

Banned
Guess I should have walked all the way down to the Lincoln Memorial today!

Definitely had a bunch of great interactions with people while walking around in my neighborhood this afternoon.
 

Sawneeks

Banned
Been walking around for the past few days with friends and we've ran into dozens of people playing all over the place. Doesn't matter if it's a park, restaurant, or even near homes; people are walking and playing.

I'm actually planning to go out in the next hour or so with some friends and hit the Downtown area of my city to get all the PokeStops. I expect to see a ton of people.

Question: So does everyone see the same Pokemon in the same area? Like if it tells me there's an Oddish at the corner, is it telling other people the same thing? And is there like a limited number of that Pokemon at that location before it's gone for awhile?

From what I've seen this is exactly the case. Normally if a Pokemon pops up for one person it pops up for nearly everyone else.

A Pokemon's level is not equal across the board though. Yesterday at a PokeStop everyone had a Arcanine pop up and it ranged from CP 400, CP 700, and a CP 1000. I believe it depends on what level the trainer is.
 

Vena

Member
Yes to your first question.

As far as I can tell it's a no to your second. I went out with people yesterday and almost everytime we always ran into the same Pokemon.

Its definitely limited or it comes and goes. I found a dratini today and overtime after directing a crowd to it and we served as a big beacon for others, it eventually disappeared.
 

Nosgotham

Junior Member
Question: So does everyone see the same Pokemon in the same area? Like if it tells me there's an Oddish at the corner, is it telling other people the same thing? And is there like a limited number of that Pokemon at that location before it's gone for awhile?

yeah you see the same. earlier at a spot with 4 lured stops someone ran over to our group and excitedly yelled ''tentacruel over here''! and we all went to the nearby lure and grabbed him
 

wmlk

Member
Can more people talk about their experiences in countries that don't have this game yet? Are you guys still meeting a lot of people?

I'd hate this to release when the excitement's fizzled out.
 

dralla

Member
Yea, I was at a park the other day and a bunch of us we're playing and eventually formed a crowd. It's too bad the game itself isn't very good.
 

jdstorm

Banned
Lures in Pokemon Go are basically the IRL equivalent of destiny's loot cave.

Hopefully Nintendo/niantic lets this continue and doesn't need them to be account specific
 

Elchele

Member
Can more people talk about their experiences in countries that don't have this game yet? Are you guys still meeting a lot of people?

I'd hate this to release when the excitement's fizzled out.

Yeah, pretty lame. Should have launched internationally the same day. Classic Nintendo.
 

Nosgotham

Junior Member
i just realized this is basically an MMO nintendo style. i always knew they would do it differently but damn...battling for a gym earlier while camping a gym is straight up MMO in real life.
 
I've had fantastic moments and have met alot of new people. However last night ( before 9), we stopped of at a random Pokespot and was harassed by a crazy emotional guy who demanded to know "what we were looking for".

I cheekily replied "Pokemon"and showed him my device and he started ranting angrily about something random.


I thought he was dangerous and we just booked it out of there, but his negativity was surprising after running into do many good people.
 
Reading all of the positivity this game is generating makes me wonder if it's actually a teaser for what NX. Is. Would explain the handheld/console hybrid.
 
Me and a few of my friends went to a park by me, there were so many people there catching Pokemon, and at least 5-7 of the pokestops there had lures.

I even witnessed 2 older people talking to each other and say "why are there so many people at the park today, it's so crowded."

Just like with amiibos, I think Nintendo hit a goldmine with Pokemon Go
 

Davey Cakes

Member
Reading all of the positivity this game is generating makes me wonder if it's actually a teaser for what NX. Is. Would explain the handheld/console hybrid.
I mean, it's just an AR game. One that happens to make sense and has instant appeal. Not like Nintendo hasn't already done stuff with AR, such as Face Raiders on 3DS.

I do think NX will take a lot of cues from mobile though, perhaps even to the point of incorporating it into the ecosystem.
 
Yeah, pretty lame. Should have launched internationally the same day. Classic Nintendo.

The game is published and developed by Niantic. Also they tried to do a worldwide release but the insane demand for the app wasn't on their plans so the servers couldn't stand it.
 

SeriousApes

Member
Nice to hear that people are making friends or socializing from this. I only downloaded it last night, but I imagine I'd still just kinda find the pokemon and peace out. That's just me, though, as an asocial hermit.
 

Crono27

Member
Me and my gf were walking back home from a trail and saw group of 4 kids all different ages playing the game and apparently all met earlier in the day because of the game. Nice to see people outside having fun. Cool thing to witness.
 

CrisKre

Member
Today during my jog I stopped by 3 activated modules next to one another in Echo Park in Los Angeles and close to 60-70 people where gathered chatting and catching pokemon.

In my 30 years of gaming i have never seen anything like it. It was beautiful.
 

Chaos17

Member
Nice to hear that people are making friends or socializing from this. I only downloaded it last night, but I imagine I'd still just kinda find the pokemon and peace out. That's just me, though, as an asocial hermit.

Many took this app as a reason to just go out and discover places they usualy never visit ^^
 

Laieon

Member
Really hoping they get the server issues fixed this week, sucks seeing everyone playing this but living in a region where it's not supported yet (Korea - got to play it for about an hour last week, then they put the region block in place).
 
Today during my jog I stopped by 3 activated modules next to one another in Echo Park in Los Angeles and close to 60-70 people where gathered chatting and catching pokemon.

In my 30 years of gaming i have never seen anything like it. It was beautiful.
Yeah, LA has been crazy. Every bus stop I'm at generally has three or more people talking about the game.
 
1000 odd people turned up for a Pokemon GO walk / meet up in Perth, AU yesterday. It was crazy to see the amount of people chilling out together, great to see. Went up to Kings Park late in the evenin' for dinner and the place was like a car park. The weather is awful at the moment so every car just had 3/4 people in it, all chasing Pokemon.
 
Me and my friends walked past some dude watering his lawn:
"You guys finding anything good?"
"We go a Scyther a few blocks back."
"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
*Runs inside grabs his phone and takes off.

There were like 20 of us hanging out in a small park that had a lure when a Rhydon appeared nearby. We all tracked it to an apartment complex and like 10 people had come out of their apartments just to catch it.

The social aspect has been a blast so far.
 
J

Jpop

Unconfirmed Member
Yeah, pretty lame. Should have launched internationally the same day. Classic Nintendo.

Launching this scale WW isn't feasible. You need stress tests and to get the kinks out and get the servers scaled properly to a full launch and even then stuff can go wrong.
 
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